Line marking shoe

ABSTRACT

A line marking shoe (1) adapted in use to be advanced relative to a ground surface in a line marking direction to mark a line onto the ground surface in the line marking direction (A) includes a sole part (3) having a discharge opening region (13) formed in it for discharge of line marking material onto the ground surface The discharge opening region includes a number of discharge opening areas and the discharge opening areas are so dimensioned and arranged that discharge of line marking material onto the ground surface through different discharge opening areas produces lines of different widths on the ground surface.

The present invention relates to line marking shoes which are advancedrelative to a ground surface in a line marking direction to mark linesonto the ground surface in the line marking direction. Such shoes areprincipally, but not exclusively, advanced over the ground surface inthe line marking direction by line marking apparatus and comprise a solepart having a discharge opening region formed therein for discharge ofline marking material therethrough onto the ground surface and connectormeans for connecting line marking material supply means to the linemarking shoe for supply of line marking material to the dischargeopening region for discharge onto the ground surface.

There is at times a need for lines of different widths to be marked ontoa ground surface. To achieve this end, it has hitherto been proposed touse a set of line marking shoes with each line marking shoe of the sethaving a discharge opening region adapted to mark a line of differentwidth than that marked by the discharge opening regions of the othershoes of the set.

The disadvantage of this prior proposal is that it requires thelaborious task of interchanging one line marking shoe of the set foranother when lines of different widths are required to be marked ontothe ground surface. This typically involves releasing the line markingmaterial supply line from the line marking shoe being used in the linemarking apparatus, releasing the line marking shoe from the line markingapparatus, connecting another line marking shoe to the line markingapparatus and connecting the line marking material supply line to the`new` line marking shoe.

There has also hitherto been proposed a line marking shoe in which thedimension of the discharge opening region transverse to the line markingdirection is adjustable to adjust the corresponding dimension of theline marking material deposited onto the ground surface and hence thewidth of the line marked. In this prior line marking shoe proposal thedischarge opening region comprises an opening in the sole part throughwhich line marking material is deposited onto the ground surface. Thesole part further supports an upper part comprising a pair of spacedapart side walls which extend in a direction parallel or substantiallyparallel to the line marking direction to define a guide channeltherebetween. The guide channel communicates at its lower end with theopening in the sole part and the connector means connects the linemarking material supply line to the line marking shoe such that the linemarking material is supplied through the guide channel to the opening inthe sole part.

The side walls of the upper part in the prior line marking proposal aredisplaceable towards or away from one another. The dimension transverseto the line marking direction of the line marking material dischargedonto the ground surface through the opening is therefore adjustable byadjusting the spacing between the side walls. The width of the linemarked onto the ground surface is thus determined by the relativespacing between the side walls of the upper part.

The disadvantage of this prior line marking shoe proposal is that theneed for displaceable side walls makes manufacture more involved andaccordingly more expensive. Furthermore, control of the width of theline marked onto the ground surface is not as accurate as it could be.Moreover, a higher degree of maintenance than desired is requiredbecause the line marking material clogs up the means by which the sidewalls are displaceable towards or away from one another.

It is therefore an aim of the present invention to provide means formarking lines of different widths onto a ground surface which is simplerthan the prior proposals.

According to the present invention there is provided a line marking shoeadapted in use to be advanced relative to a ground surface in a linemarking direction to mark a line onto the ground surface in the linemarking direction comprising a sole part having a discharge openingregion formed therein for discharge of line marking materialtherethrough onto the ground surface, characterised in that thedischarge opening region comprises a plurality of discharge openingareas and that the discharge opening areas are so dimensioned anddisposed that discharge of line marking material onto the ground surfacethrough different discharge opening areas produces lines of differentwidths on the ground surface.

In an embodiment of the invention hereinafter to be described the linemarking shoe is provided with connector means for connecting linemarking material supply means to the line marking shoe for supply ofline marking material to the discharge opening region for discharge ontothe ground surface and the connector means is adapted selectively tosupply line marking material to any one of the discharge opening areas.

In an embodiment of the invention hereinafter to be described eachdischarge opening area has a dimension transverse to the line markingdirection which is different than a corresponding dimension of each ofthe other discharge opening areas.

In an embodiment of the invention hereinafter to be described the solepart is formed with an opening which extends therethrough, the openingforms the discharge opening region and the discharge opening areas areareas of the opening. The discharge opening areas may beintercommunicating areas of the opening.

In an embodiment of the invention hereinafter to be described theopening is bounded by a pair of spaced apart side edges which extend inthe line marking direction. When viewed in plan one of the side edges ofthe opening has a step profile and comprises a series of step sections,each step section in the side edge faces the opposite side edge, thespace between each step section and the opposite side edge is differentthan the spaces between the other step sections and the opposite sideedge and the space between each step section and the opposite side edgeforms one of the discharge opening areas. Preferably, when viewed inplan the opposite side edge of the opening has a step profile andcomprises a series of step sections, each step section in the oppositeside edge faces a corresponding step section in the other side edge andthe space between each pair of corresponding step sections forms one ofthe discharge opening areas. In this instance, the step profiles of theside edges may be such that the side edges converge towards one anotherin the line marking direction.

In an embodiment of the invention hereinafter to be described an upperpart upstands from the sole part, the upper part comprising a pair ofspaced apart side walls which extend in a direction parallel orsubstantially parallel to the line marking direction to define a guidechannel therebetween which communicates at its lower end with thedischarge opening region in the sole part, and the connector meansconnects the line marking material supply means to the line marking shoesuch that it supplies line marking material through the guide channel toany one of the discharge opening areas.

In an embodiment of the invention hereinafter to be described the sidewalls of the upper part extend along and upstand from the opposite sideedges of the opening and a transverse wall connects the side wallstogether at the forward ends thereof.

In another embodiment of the invention the sole part is formed with anopening and the lower end of the guide channel formed by the side wallsof the upper part registers with a part of the opening, the part of theopening with which the lower end of the guide channel registers formingthe discharge opening region with the discharge opening areas beingareas of that part of the opening. If required, the discharge openingareas may be intercommunicating areas of the part of the opening. thenviewed in plan the side walls of the upper part have a step profile witheach side wall comprising a series of step sections. Each step sectionin one side wall faces a corresponding step section in the opposite sidewall, and the space between each pair of corresponding step sectionsdefines a guide sub-channel whose lower end communicates with one of thedischarge opening areas. Optionally, the step profile in the side wallsof the upper part is such that the side walls converge towards oneanother in the line marking direction.

In an embodiment of the invention hereinafter to be described the linemarking material supply means supplies line marking material through aline marking nozzle and the connector means connects the line markingmaterial supply means to the line marking shoe such that the linemarking nozzle is positioned in the guide channel defined by the sidewalls of the upper part for supply of line marking material to any oneof the discharge opening areas.

In an embodiment of the invention hereinafter to be described the upperpart is an inner upper part and there is further provided an outer upperpart having a pair of side walls spaced apart outwardly of the sidewalls of the inner upper part, the side walls of the outer upper partextending in a direction parallel or substantially parallel to the linemarking direction and upstanding from opposite side edges of the solepart.

In an embodiment of the invention hereinafter to be described theconnector means is adapted to releasably connect the line markingmaterial supply means to the line marking shoe and the connector meansis adapted to provide a plurality of predetermined positions for theline marking material supply means, each predetermined positionproviding for supply of line marking material to a predetermineddifferent discharge opening area.

In an embodiment of the invention hereinafter to be described theconnector means comprises an array of sockets mounted on one of the sidewalls of the outer upper part, each socket being adapted to receive plugmeans carried by the line marking material supply means to releasablyconnect the line marking material supply means to the line marking shoe,receipt of the plug means in one of the sockets positioning the linemarking material supply line in one of the predetermined positions.

In an embodiment of the invention hereinafter to be described the solepart is adapted in use to support the line marking shoe on the groundsurface and the longitudinal axis of the sole part is parallel orsubstantially parallel to the line marking direction.

In an alternative embodiment of the invention the sole part of the linemarking shoe is formed with a plurality of discrete openings whichextend therethrough and the discrete openings in the sole partcollectively form the discharge opening region with each discreteopening forming one of the discharge opening areas.

According to the invention there is also provided a line markingassembly which includes a line marking shoe according to the invention.

According to the invention there is further provided a line markingapparatus including a line marking shoe according to the invention.

By way of example an embodiment of the invention will now be describedwith reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view from above of a line marking shoe according to theinvention,

FIG. 2 is a side view of the line marking shoe of FIG. 1,

FIG. 3 is a schematic side view of line marking apparatus incorporatingthe line marking shoe of FIGS. 1 and 2, and

FIG. 4 is an exploded schematic side view of the line marking shoe shownin FIG. 3.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, there is shown a line marking shoe 1comprising a sole plate 3 having a forward portion 5 and a rear portion7. In use the sole plate 3 contacts a ground surface to be marked with aline and moves over the ground surface in a line marking direction A. Tofacilitate movement of the shoe 1 over the ground surface the forwardend 9 of the forward portion 5 and the rear end 11 of the rear portion 7of the sole plate 3 are configured to project upwardly away from theground surface.

As can be seen from FIG. 1, the sole plate 3 is provided with an opening13 in the rear end of the forward portion 5 of the sole plate 3. Theside edges of the opening 13 have a step profile which results in theside edges converging towards one another in the line marking direction.The result of the step profile is further to form the opposite sideedges into a series of side edge step sections 151, 152, 153 and 154with each step section 151, 152, 153 and 154 in one of the side edgesfacing a corresponding step section 151, 152, 153 and 154 in theopposite side edge.

The spacing between each pair of corresponding side edge step sections151, 152, 153 and 154 is different than that between the other pairs andconstitutes a discharge opening area for discharge of line markingmaterial onto the ground surface. As will be appreciated, each dischargeopening area causes a line of different width to be marked onto theground surface in consequence of each having a different width, that isto say, dimension transverse to the line marking direction.

Mounted on the sole plate 3 is an inner upper part 17 comprising a pairof spaced apart side walls 19 which extend along the opposite side edgesof the opening 13 in the sole plate 3 and a transverse wall 21 whichconnects the side walls 19 together at the forward ends thereof.

The sides walls 19 of the inner upper part 17 define a guide channeltherebetween which registers at its lower end with the opening 13 in thesole plate 3. As the side wails 19 have the same step profile as theside edges of the opening 13, the guide channel between the side walls19 can be considered to be composed of a plurality of guidesub-channels, the lower ends of each of which registering with adifferent discharge opening area.

Also mounted on the sole plate 3 is an outer upper part comprising apair of spaced apart side walls 23 which extend along the opposite sideedges 25 of the sole plate 3. Attached to the outer surface of one ofthe side walls 23 of the outer upper part is an array of sockets 271,272, 273 and 274. Each of the sockets 271, 272, 273 and 274 is adaptedto releasably connect a line marking material supply line to the shoe 1and position the line marking material supply line so that the linemarking material dispensed thereby is selectively guided through eon theguide sub-channels for discharge through one of the discharge openingareas. The socket 271, 272, 273 or 274 selected to releasably connectthe line marking material supply line to the line marking shoe thusdetermines the width of the line marked onto the ground surface.

The skilled reader will realise that the sockets 271, 272, 273 and 274could instead be mounted on the inner upper part 17 with the outer upperpart being omitted.

Referring now to FIGS. 3 and 4, there is shown a line marking apparatus51 incorporating the line marking shoe 1 of FIGS. 1 and 2. The linemarking shoe 1 is pivotally connected through a pivot point 55 to anoutrigger structure 53 which in turn is connected to a vehicle 57 fortransporting the line marking shoe 1 in the line marking direction.

The outrigger structure 53 includes a parallelogram linkage to enablethe outrigger structure 53 to move between an expanded configuration, asshown in FIG. 3, and a contracted configuration. The outrigger structure53 further includes an actuating handle 61 for manual movement of theoutrigger structure 53 between its expanded and contractedconfigurations by a driver 69 of the vehicle 57.

When the outrigger structure 53 adopts the expanded configuration theline marking shoe 1 is deployed outwardly to its operational positionfor line marking. When,, on the other hand, the outrigger structure 53adopts the contracted configuration the line marking shoe 1 is deployedinwardly to a retracted position which enables an obstacle on the axisof the line being marked to be passed without manoeuvring of the vehicle57.

A supply of line marking material 67, in this case line marking liquid,is supported on the rear of the vehicle 57 and the line marking liquidis supplied to the line marking shoe 1 through a supply line 33 havingan outlet end which is held by a screw 35 to a collar 31 which isreleasably engagable in one of the sockets 271, 272, 273 and 274 carriedby one of the side walls 23 of the outer upper part of the line markingshoe 1.

A pump pumps the marking liquid through the supply line 33 and theliquid supplied through the supply line 33 is sprayed into the linemarking shoe 1 through a nozzle 37. Pumping can be effected by the powersource of the vehicle 57 or by an independent source and a solenoidactivated valve 39 is provided to regulate the flow from the nozzle 37under the control of a switch 65 located on the handle 61 provided bythe outrigger structure 53.

As can be seen, engagement of the collar 31 into one of the sockets 271,272, 273 and 274 positions the nozzle 37 into one of the guidesub-channels. The discharge opening area through which the line markingliquid is discharged onto the ground surface thus depends on the socket271, 272, 273, and 274 into which the collar 31 is engaged. As the widthof each discharge opening area differs from the widths of the otherdischarge opening areas it follows that the width of the line markedonto the ground surface depends on which socket 271, 272, 273 and 274the collar 31 is engaged in.

It will be appreciated that embodiments other than that describedhereinabove with reference to FIGS. 1 to 4 are within the scope of thepresent invention.

For example, the sole plate 3 of the line marking shoe 1 could be formedwith a plurality of spaced apart openings with each opening having adimension transverse to the line marking direction which is differentfrom a corresponding dimension of each of the other openings. In thisexample, each opening represents one of the discharge opening areassince each marks a line of different width onto the ground surface.

Alternatively, the lower end of the guide channel defined by the sidewalls 19 of the inner upper part 17 does not necessarily have toregister with the whole of the opening 13 in the sole part 3. Theopening 13 could be extended forwardly in the line marking direction sothat the side walls 19 of the inner upper part 17 register with a partof the opening 13. In this example, the lower ends of the guidesub-channels formed by the spaces between the pairs of correspondingstep sections in the side walls 19 constitute the discharge openingareas.

In addition, different cross-sections could be used for the opening 13and/or inner upper part 17 to implement the invention. For example, anopening and/or inner upper part of triangular cross-section could beadopted.

It is to be understood that the further examples of the presentinvention outlined above are solely for the purpose of illustration andare not exhaustive.

I claim:
 1. A line marking shoe (1) adapted in use to be advancedrelative to a ground surface in a line marking direction to mark a lineonto the ground surface in the line marking direction (A), the shoecomprising a sole part (3) having a discharge opening region (13) formedtherein for discharge of line marking material therethrough onto theground surface, the discharge opening region comprising a plurality ofdifferent discharge opening areas which are dimensioned and disposed sothat discharge of line marking material onto the ground surface throughdifferent discharge opening areas produces lines of different widths onthe ground surface wherein an upper part upstands from the sole part(3), the upper part comprising a plurality of spaced apart side walls(19) which extend in a direction parallel or substantially parallel tothe line marking direction to define a guide channel therebetween whichcommunicates at its lower end with the discharge opening region (13) inthe sole part.
 2. A line marking shoe according to claim 1, wherein thesole part (3) is adapted in use to support the line marking shoe (1) onthe ground surface, the longitudinal axis of the sole part beingparallel or substantially parallel to the line marking direction (A). 3.A line marking shoe according to claim 1 or 2, wherein each dischargeopening area (13) has a dimension transverse to the line markingdirection (A) which is different than a corresponding dimension of eachof the other discharge opening areas.
 4. A line marking shoe accordingto claim 1, wherein the side walls (19) of the upper part extend alongand upstand from opposite side edges of the opening (13).
 5. A linemarking shoe according to claim 3, wherein the discharge opening areasare intercommunicating areas of the opening (13).
 6. A line marking shoeaccording to claim 3, wherein the opening (13) is bounded by a pair ofspaced apart side edges which extend in the line marking direction (A),one of the side edges of the opening when viewed in plan having a stepprofile and comprising a series of step sections (151, 152, 153, 154),each step section in the side edge facing the opposite side edge and thespace between each step section and the opposite side edge beingdifferent than the spaces between the other step sections and theopposite side edge, the space between each step section and the oppositeside edge forming one of the discharge opening areas.
 7. A line markingshoe according to claim 6, wherein when viewed in plan the opposite sideedge of the opening (13) has a step profile and comprises a series ofstep sections (151, 152, 153, 154), each step section in the oppositeside edge facing a corresponding step section in the other side edge,the space between each pair of corresponding step sections forms one ofthe discharge opening areas.
 8. A line marking shoe according to claim7, wherein step profiles of the side edges are such that the side edgesconverge towards one another in the line marking direction (A).
 9. Aline marking shoe according to claim 1, wherein the sole part (3) isformed with a plurality of discrete openings which extend therethrough,the discrete openings in the sole part collectively forming thedischarge opening region with each discrete opening forming one of thedischarge opening areas.
 10. A line marking shoe according to claim 1,wherein part (3) is formed with the lower end of the guide channelformed by the side walls (19) of the upper part with a part of theopening to form the discharge opening region with the discharge openingareas being areas of that part of the opening.
 11. A line marking shoeaccording to claim 10, wherein when viewed in plan the side walls (19)of the upper part have a step profile with each side wall comprising aseries of step sections (151, 152, 153, 154), each step section in oneside wall facing a corresponding step section in the opposite side walland the space between each pair of corresponding step sections defininga guide respectively whose lower end communicates with one of channeldischarge opening areas.
 12. A line marking shoe according to claim 11,wherein the step profile in the side walls (19) of the upper part issuch that the side walls converge towards one another in the linemarking direction (A).
 13. A line marking shoe according to claim 1,wherein the upper part further comprises a transverse wall (21) whichconnects the side walls (19) together at the forwards ends thereof. 14.A line marking shoe according to claim 1 wherein the upper part forms aninner upper part (17) and there is provided an outer upper part having apair of side walls (23) spaced apart outwardly of the side walls (19) ofthe inner upper part.
 15. A line marking shoe according to claim 14,wherein the side walls (23) of the outer upper part extend in adirection parallel or substantially parallel to the line markingdirection (A) and upstand from opposite side edges of the sole part (3).16. A combination of a line marking shoe as claimed in claim 1 and amaterial supply means, wherein the line marking shoe (1) is providedwith connector means (271, 272, 273, 274) for connecting line markingmaterial supply means (67) to the line marking shoe for supply of linemarking material to a respective one of the discharge opening areas. 17.A line marking shoe according to claim 16, wherein the connector means(271, 272, 273, 274) connects the line marking material supply means(67) to the line marking shoe (1) such that it supplies line markingmaterial through the guide channel to any one of the discharge openingareas.
 18. A line marking shoe according to claim 16, wherein the linemarking material supply means (67) supplies line marking materialthrough a line marking nozzle (37), the connector means (271, 272, 273,274) connecting the line marking material supply means to the linemarking shoe (1) such that the line marking nozzle is positioned in theguide channel defined by the side walls (19) of the upper part forsupply of line marking material to any one of the discharge openingareas.
 19. A combination according to claim 16 wherein the connectormeans (271, 272, 273, 274) is adapted to releasably connect the linemarking material supply means (67) to the line marking shoe (1).
 20. Acombination according to claim 16 wherein the connector means (271, 272,273, 274) is adapted to provide a plurality of predetermined positionsfor the line marking material supply means, each predetermined positionproviding for supply of line marking material to a predetermineddifferent discharge opening area.
 21. A combination according to claim20, wherein the connector means (271, 272, 273, 274) comprises an arrayof sockets mounted on one of the side walls (23) of the outer upperpart, each socket being adapted to receive plug means (31) carried bythe line marking material supply means to releasably connect the linemarking material supply means to the line marking shoe (1), receipt ofthe plug means in one of the sockets positioning the line markingmaterial supply means in one of the predetermined positions.
 22. A linemarking assembly including a line marking shoe (1) according to claim 1.23. A line marking apparatus including a line marking shoe (1) accordingto claim 1.